For easier scans without a lot of obstacles or setups, all you need is the button.

With 64gb of on-board memory, the BLK360 can store ~100 scans @medium resolution, so you can operate the scanner without using an iPad Pro™ as a controller simply by using the button on the device.

Here's how it works:

Press the button once to turn it on. When the LED ring is steady green, press the button again to start a scan.

First, the BLK360 completes a rotation to measure the ambient light. Then, it makes a second rotation with stops. At each stop, it captures a slice of a spherical image. Each slice is automatically stitched together to create a full-dome image.

Next, the BLK360 executes a third rotation, scanning 360,000 laser points/sec, each with a unique 3D position. Combined, the laser points replicate the objects, buildings and landscapes that surround it in the form of a point cloud. The BLK360 is optimized for indoor or outdoor use.

The resulting point cloud is a 3D representation of real world conditions that make accurate dimensions available in 3D design software. Simply scan a room and walk away with dimensions for everything the laser hits.

The cameras and scanner are precisely aligned so 3D measurements can be taken directly on the spherical imagery and combined to produce a visually rich, and highly accurate representation of reality.

This entire process takes place with the push of a button and is complete in under three minutes.

Once a scan is complete the BLK360 is ready to be moved to the next scan location. An onboard sensor tracks the BLK360's movement and shares that information with Recap® Pro mobile.

An iPad Pro™ is required to transfer your data from the BLK360, and operating the scanner via the iPad Pro and Recap Pro for mobile is a better workflow for more complex spaces, since that allows the operator to see what the scanner sees in real time.

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Summary: This creates very high detailed architectural point clouds with an added 360. It's 3 minutes per scan, not at all intended for the same use-case scenario as Matterport generally is -- and Matterport might still outclass it in the SAME arena if speed / efficiency is a deciding factor.

So slightly confused. Your last line said this is not 360 tour camera. So what exactly do you get from this? It has lasers and takes pictures and says it stitches together. I assume you can get floor plans with dimensions? Any clarity would be greatly appreciated.

@Matt19 I am by no means an expert on the BLK360, but it is geared more toward the AEC market. It's measurements and point cloud are supposed to be more accurate than the Matterport. Add in the fact that it was designed in partnership with Autodesk, the company that makes AutoCAD, which is supposed to make it have a more seamless integration into AutoCAD.

It definitely will do 360 tours, but @metroplex360 was saying that the 3 minutes per scan would make it a very inefficient way to do them. Not to mention the $16,000 price tag!

@Richierichks Thanks Rich, I was looking for the pricetag and didn't see it.

If any of these new technologies fail to actually demonstrate their product, I'd write it off.

The only products that I see are viable are Matterport, iGuide, immoviewer and that new Matterport-copycat that we were discussing a few weeks ago. I hate to call the last one a copycat, but that's what it looks like -- and it's a great one.

For all other tech -- they are all chasing Matterport's current offerings. If Matterport make a single move to offer something new (Like what we're waiting to see on May 11th) - then these other companies have to keep chasing before they innovate.

iGuide innovates by truly doing things differently and being able to serve a different market at different price points. Immoviewer innovates in the same way and is perhaps the 'consumer' iGuide with less features.

NCTech360's offerings look interesting - and I can't wait to see how they fit into the game. Some how I do not feel that their tech will be applicable to Realty -- and will be more suited to special purposes.

@Metroplex360 I really like the iGuide product because of it being based on a DSLR and the additional editing capabilities of it. I actually almost bought one, but since Matterport announced the Realtor.com relationship, the hopeful announcement of Google Street View, and the possible airbnb relationship I chose the Matterport. iGuide didn't really seem to want to sell me one anyway since the rep couldn't bother to get back to me and kept talking about someone else that may be purchasing one in the KC area. Their loss!

I didn't see the copycat that you are talking about, what is it called?

@RichieRichGeoCV is the copycat. Essentially - it creates what we consider a 'Matterport Space'. There are some unique features such as a floorplan overlay, but whether or not this feature is present on all scans is not really detailed.

I'm wondering what will be the file size of the point clouds. That's a great advantage of the Matterport, it's a very light weight PCL compared to more professionnal Laser scanner such as Faro. There is a need for higher precision scan, but there's also a need for a great quality OBJ with low poly. The XYZ from the Matterport does not work with the Recap360 Mesh feature. I'm looking forward to sample data from the BLK360 to be able to test it and see if it's worth the investment.